de Olde SANTVORT

Robert M. Sandfort writes: The author s branch of the Sandfort family, as far back as it can be traced, originates from a region of northern Germany known as Artland . Artland is located in the present German state of Niederschsen (lower Saxony), apporximately 50 miles from the Dutch border and about 75 miles from the North Sea. This region encompasses the farm community of Gross Mimmelage in which the Sandfort farm was located, as well as the farm communities of Bottorf and Hahlen where later generations of the author s branch of the Sandfort family lived. It also includes the churches of Badbergen and Menslage (plus Gehrde) where their babtisims, marriages, and burials are recorded.

--- Artland, Muensterland and a section of Friesland all became part of what later was known as the Kingdom of Hanover.

Robert M. Sandfort writes: The name Sandfort is topographical in origin. It derives from sandige Furt , which means in English sandy ford , a passable route throgh the lowland swamps.

The first mention of the name Sandfort in available records of Artland dates from the year 1458. It occurred in conection with a livestock tax impossed on the farm owners of Bauerschaft (farm community) Mimmelage. The early history of the Sandfort family is essentially the same as that of the Sandfort farm in Mimmelage.

Robert M. Sandfort writes: The oldest Sandfort farm record, dated 1458, was compiled as a kind of property tax. The translation of this record into English is as follows:

Farm Comunity Mimmelage

the old Sandfort

eleven horses, seven cows, eight young (horned) cattle, twenty swine.

With this collection of 46 animals, the old Sandfort was the largest livestock owner in the community. It is unfortanate the record doesn t give the Christian name of the old Sandfort . But by themanner in which this record and the next were made, Walter Pohslander concludes that the day-to-day operation of the Sandfort farm had already in 1458 passed to a son of the old Sandfort, although outright ownership had not.

Robert Sandfort writes: The wife of de olde Sandfort is never mentioned in old records.

Comments